Profile For Booknut

I got a new local job paid by the hour with a company called Supply Chain Solutions in Foxboro MA. When I went to the interview, my new boss asked about my job hopping ways. I acknowledged my tendency to move from company to company and said I had realized the grass isn't always greener. He appreciated my honesty and hired me, letting me know that he wished to be a long term employer for me. The prospect of being tied down both scares and delights me. I got a warm reception from this small company, I pledge to do my best.

Two questions Brett. What power lenses do you wear and what brand, style? I'll definitely have a talk with my doc to make sure I'm on track with what's out there. I like taking mine out and giving my eyes a rest at night. It's essential for me. But thank you. Your second opinion will free up others to not necessarily get bogged down in what I go through. Thanks so much.

Pianoman, I still use the two vial system at home. It's the only way to do it. With a fixed 6 hour minimum for cleaning, with one set of lenses , you're always limited in situations when you might need to get going sooner. If you get ready for bed then get called out for an emergency, your lenses are literally too painful to keep in your eyes for 1 second. So, you're forced to wear your glasses. In my case, they look like coke bottles.

For a period of time I used the "No Rub" solutions because they were easier. My eye doctor's contact lens specialist told me to switch over to the hydrogen peroxide based solutions. My lenses were obviously a mess and not getting clean enough. He explained to me that if the solution is mild enough to use as a soaking and wetting solution, its not strong enough to remove the protein deposits on the lenses. Back in the day we used to use a daily cleaner and rub them in our palm. Then rinse with saline and put them in a heat sanitizer gizmo over night. I was always too lazy to do it right when I was younger. Eventually it caught up with me that I could do serious damage to my eyes by short cutting the lens cleaning.

I guess the ultimate is using daily wear lenses and throwing them out every day. I've never been able to afford that.

I once delivered a load of mixed freight to an STI terminal. I got my paperwork and was told I was all set. I pulled away from the dock to shut my doors and found 20 load locks, about 10 straps and a few moving blankets. I backed to the dock again went in and unloaded the items onto the dock without saying a word. I was new and sucked at backing. I think it took me too long the first time to back in, it was obvious I was a rookie and the transaction went downhill from there. I appreciated the exercise.

Another time, I've arrived at a shipper with a stack of pallets in the back of my truck after picking up an unknown empty late at night. I got very lucky they allowed me to stash the pallets there, avoiding a big hassle in getting rid of them. Always check if empties are empty!

Yes, and like Deb said, lots of trash. I enjoy sweeping them out. It's like meditation. When I hauled sugar a lot I bought one of those long, cloth push brooms. We'd always have to sweep.

ChefsJK, if you're comfortable with glasses and see just fine, I see no need to complicate your life with contact lenses. They're a necessity for me, as my prescription is quite high. I'm so used to them, I feel un-dressed without them.

Getting them after you get hired might prove to be too inconvenient to deal with on the road, if you have no experience with them at all. It's an added expense and hassle I wouldn't wish upon anyone.

Anyone who depends upon contact lenses to see everyday knows how much of a hassle they can be on the road. I remove and clean my lenses every night with a hydrogen peroxide based cleaner. (Clear Care) I put them in a vial filled with the cleaning liquid and a catalyst that neutralizes over time to achieve the cleaning process. It takes a minimum of 6 hours to complete the process. If you've ever tried to put them back on early, you can't forget the sensation of burning that it caused. I've come to decide that I prefer to let them sit in the vial for 24 hours for maximum comfort. So I always have two sets of lenses at any given time. I wear one set and clean one set.

Team driving on the road posed a problem, how could I ensure that my vial stayed in the vertical position and didn't spill due to the movement of the truck? My first idea was placing the vials in a toilet paper tube. I could never guarantee it wouldn't get moved and spilled. I also needed a way to reliably tell the vials apart. Eventually I found the right size can to hold the vials upright, from Blue Diamond Almonds. (shown in the photo) I put in a cardboard divider and have a way of marking which vial was cleaned today or yesterday. I poked holes in the lid to provide ventilation so moisture wouldn't collect. With the lid on and with the can in a safe place in a cabinet or tote I have had very few problems.

I use a flat surface with a paper towel as a work space to take them in and out. Have a mirror handy if you need one.

Always carry plenty of spare contact lenses and change them often. Mine are rated for monthly wear. Make sure to have at least one pair of glasses that you can drive with. For those folks who don't need contact lenses, count how lucky you are.

Hey Tim,

Thanks for connecting. Good luck with your schooling. Apply yourself, take your time. You've got this. Keep us posted on your progress.

Thanks for the tip Auggie69, I'll look into FedEx.

Thanks Tractor Man. I'm ready to give it my all. This really is a great country, even with all the conflict currently going on, it is still the land of opportunity. While I'm taking that hard look at myself, I'm thankful for all that I have and all that I have been offered over the years. The word "entitlement" springs to mind, when I start to complain for one minute. Time for a lasting, grateful outlook.

Hello Trucker Family,

I signed up here 4 years ago to utilize the tools to take my hazardous endorsement test and get a general refresher. Thanks Brett, your site really helped to ease my transition back into this industry. This is only my 2nd forum post, because I was always too busy running around making a living to stop and post. I wanted to document my return to trucking on the fly, but that never happened. It's a heck of a lot easier to lurk in forums, get your fill and fall asleep in the bunk. Most of the time I was too beat to compose a coherent thought. Right now I'm in between jobs, hoping to stay local. I've had time to relax, regroup and really think about my life, staying put in one place, back home with family. I needed to get the roller skates off and clear my head for a bit.

I got my CDL A back in 1987, worked for less than 6 months trucking and was offered another job in a different industry (bookselling.) At 21 years old I was NOT ready in any shape or fashion to stay out on the road and stare at a dotted white line all day, every day. I had living to do and I did!

I didn't drive anything larger than a 26' box truck for the next 26 years. I'm 50 years old and 3 years is the longest I've worked anywhere. I spent 12 years on SSDI. I had multiple health problems, but the main one was heavy metals poisoning that made me sick physically and weak mentally. I got treatment and recovered slowly.

Fast forward to 2013... I made the decision to go back on the road to drive long haul. My partner was supposed to go to school, get her CDL and drive with me. We chose CRST as our company and fully intended to stay on with them for 2 years and then reassess. I did my refresher in Albany GA at a small company sanctioned school called "Career in Gear." I drove almost a month with my trainer. My partner followed me a couple months behind, Ace-ing her schooling. I endured 6 months with a series of co-drivers, as CRST is a team company. When she was finally ready, we drove together for a total of 2 months. Then the worst happened, she had a stroke while driving. I drove her to the nearest VA hospital, then got clear to drive us home. That was her last run ever. She is now a full-time disabled vet. I finished out my contract with CRST and quit because they would not run me solo. Teaming with anyone else just wasn't working for me. I then got a job with Celadon for 6 months. I worked for Carroll Fulmer having a year under my belt, quit them for a small 10 truck operation out of Florida to team with a friend, quit them for a local fuel hauler out of Tampa Bay because teaming drove me crazy, and quit them for Indian River Transport in 2016.

I stay with IRT until November, then moved back to the Northeast from Florida. I worked my butt off for the last 4 years and have less than nothing to show for it. I didn't work for more than a year for any one of those jobs. It didn't help that some of my trucker friends job hopped worse than I did.

I'm currently working on settling my finances and thinking about settling down with a company that will keep me local.

The kinds of articles Brett has been writing lately have really hit home. I have been guilty of complaining about trucking companies after allowing myself to become poisoned by indulging in too many of those toxic conversations. I threw away a good job with Indian River because I let thoughts of not being reimbursed for detention and down time eat me up. I admit to being a victim and perpetrator of negative talk, to the point where I was hurting myself the worst.

My driving record is in good shape, but I have to face the fact now that my job hopping doesn't look so great on a resume or application. I have commitment issues! I've quit so many jobs and just recently my lax attitude caused me to be let go from a decent local job for a series of stupid mistakes. I'm looking over my life from every possible angle and trying not to be too hard on myself but still kicking myself a little. I'm still admittedly depressed. I'm not writing because I need anything, Just wanting to share a little bit of my story as a relevant and down to earth introduction without any super-trucker boasting.

Hello again, Trucker Family, thanks for being there!

I think the truck scrapers are a great idea. I used one for the first time this winter. I had never seen one in operation before. I didn't know that they are either plugged in to a/c power or in the case of my company they use a generator to move the blade up and down. I thought it might have been a hand crank. (If you think landing gear takes a long time to crank...)

Don't assume the blade has returned to the top and is high enough to driver under. Ease up to it, get out and check the height or have someone help you. Pull up and lower the blade onto your roof. If its too high you won't clear off everything.

Another thing I didn't consider, you make a big mess. You need to clean up after yourself if a crew isn't there manning the operation. It certainly beats climbing up there with a broom or rake. I drove into Connecticut often and it gave me sense of comfort to be cleaned off thoroughly. I think CT was the first state to make it a chargeable offense to have ice and snow fly off your roof.